Alien: Duty
by ahsokanerd
Summary: Captain Pellaeon's life undergoes another change, and Captain Thrawn is promoted to Senior Captain in the shadows during a ceremony honoring the Lost Twenty. A deleted scene from chapter thirty of my Ahsoka-on-Earth story, Alien. Should be considered non-canon in both my universe (Alien) and in the Star Wars universe.


Formally Part of Alien: Chapter 30

Scene: Duty

Canon Status: Not part of the Star Wars: Alien canon or Star Wars canon

* * *

Captain Gilad Pellaeon was a man who did not play politics. From his point of view, there was nothing that could truly be gained by playing the game of manipulation. Real leaders were men - or woman - who did their duty when the time came. The fight he fought was honorable. He did not simply throw good fighters away when they rose in the ranks, even if they could rise above him. That was not a threat to him. It was his responsibility to preform his very best. If someone was preforming better than him, he let them do their job, as it was his duty to the newly-formed Galactic Empire to serve the Emperor, and provide him with the very best the Navy could give. Politics was never a part of his thinking process, and he shunned those in the military who did play the manipulative game. Everyone in the upper-ranks of the Imperial Navy knew that this is how he worked.

So what the blazes was he doing on Imperial Center, away from his personal Star Destroyer, the _Leveler_?

"I grow tired of waiting, Captain. Hand me the datapad for my speech, introduce me to the public, and get over with it. We don't have all day!"

Pellaeon sighed. This was going to be a long day, and he was not looking forward to it. "Of course, Admiral," he said, perfectly masking his annoyance. "I just need to wait for the file the Emperor sent to transfer over."

Admiral Tarkin did not appear to be pleased, but Pellaeon had not expected him to respond differently. The Emperor needed Tarkin in order to control the public perception of the military, as the young admiral held plenty of political weight. However, in order to use the man, the first thing that Palpatine needed from Tarkin was, of all things, an apology. Due to his very-public distaste of the young sixteen-year-old Togruta former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano during her trial for a bombing of the Jedi Temple in the military's court, his reputation had been shaken. She had been proven innocent, making Admiral Tarkin look like a fool, and causing many military families to wonder if they wanted to serve with a man who could so easily deceive himself into thinking that young girls such as Ahsoka could quickly become terrorists. Trust was an important quality in the army. If you could not trust the man you were fighting beside, who then was your enemy?

With a chirp, the datapad Pellaeon had been holding finished transferring the file that contained Admiral Tarkin's speech to the waiting crowd. The man had probably memorized the speech, perfecting every syllable out fear that one mistake might upset the Emperor, but he needed the speech written down anyway, just in case. "Here you go, sir," Pellaeon said, handing Admiral Tarkin the datapad. "Everything is all set for you. I'll go introduce you the crowd."

Taking a deep breath, Captain Pellaeon walked towards the door, which slid open to reveal a large group of people below the balcony he was now on at the Imperial Palace, which was still undergoing construction. He waved, and the crowd roared their approval. When they calmed down at last, he walked towards a podium that had been setup, and spoke.

"Greetings, fellow citizens of the Empire, to momentous occasion, the unveiling and dedication of these statues of the Lost Twenty!" Once more, the crowd cheered, even louder this time. "But before we begin the ceremony," Pellaeon continued, "let me introduce you to the man presenting the dedication speech to us tonight, Admiral Tarkin!"

The crowd erupted into applause as Admiral Tarkin came onto the balcony, smiling his very best and waving to the crowd. Captain Pellaeon stepped back from the podium, shook hands with Tarkin, and exited the balcony as the dedication speech began.

Emperor Palpatine had come up with what Pellaeon regarded as a truly brilliant plan to restore Admiral Tarkin's honor. Apparently the Jedi Order had twenty-one former Jedi they considered to be a part of this ideological group. This group had left them peacefully, because they believed that there was something fundamentally wrong with the way the Jedi Order operated. There were only two names he had recognized on that list; Count Dooku, and Ahsoka Tano, the latter of whom he had served with before on his ship the _Leveler_ when she was only fourteen years of age.

The important thing was that former Padawan Tano was on this list. Palpatine had then ordered his propaganda officials to remove Count Dooku, and then build statues of each individual for the front of the Imperial Palace. This plan was one of the most efficient political plans Pellaeon had ever laid eyes on. While he had not seen many political plans in his lifetime, he could recognize a brilliant idea, and this was one of them. By dedicating the statues of those who dared think differently from the Jedi, Admiral Tarkin was not only making the Jedi Order and its members look even worse to the public, but he was also showing to the galaxy that he was willing to admit that he had been wrong about Ahsoka. The plan was flawless, and the results were something he looked forward to seeing.

"Captain, the Emperor requires your presence at a private ceremony, immediately."

Shocked, Captain Pellaeon whirled around to come face-to-face with Darth Vader, the frightening cyborg who was second-in-command of the Empire. Composing himself, he saluted in typical military style. "M'lord," he said, "it's an honor. I was not informed. May I inquire as to-"

"Spare the pleasantries and the questions, captain," Lord Vader said in his deep mechanical voice, holding up a hand to silence him. "The information was withheld from you intentionally. The Emperor did not want Admiral Tarkin or other officials who are attending the dedication ceremony to be present. Come now, captain. I will escort you."

"Yes, m'lord," Pellaeon said stiffly. Darth Vader did not respond, so he followed the masked man obediently. At first, he had thought of the worst-case scenario. _Have they begun to question my loyalty, because they found out about Hallena and I?_ he wondered. But no, that was out of the question. Nobody had any reason to doubt his loyalty. _Or do they?_ He forced himself to think logically. _Vader said that the Emperor was hosting a private ceremony,_ he mused. _Maybe he is promoting someone that he doesn't want Admiral Tarkin to know about?_ Yes, that had to be it. Most likely it was a non-human officer, as Palpatine was known to have a distain for aliens, and when he did promote those who were not Human, he did so… quietly.

"Your thoughts serve you well, captain," Darth Vader said, not changing his stride in the slightest as his cape, black as the rest of his mechanical body, caught a gust of air from a ventilation tube. "The Emperor is indeed promoting an officer. He is looking forward to introducing him to you after the ceremony is complete."

_Stang._ Captain Pellaeon hated when anyone read his mind. It had annoyed him when the young Ahsoka Tano had sensed his thoughts about his then-lover, Hallena Davis, but when Lord Vader did this to him he simply felt violated. But he was no fool. He was well aware that thinking like this would only give another reason to Vader and the Emperor to dispose of him, should his failures begin to pile up into one great mass. And that was something he never wanted to happen.

Vader stopped in front of a familiar door, waved his hand over the locking mechanism, and walked inside. Pellaeon followed him, and looked about the room. He was pleasantly surprised that the room was rather appealing, despite the fact that Lord Vader and Emperor Palpatine were using it as a room to host a promotion. In the now typical royal Imperial-style, the room had red carpet and soft red chairs scattered about the room. As usual, the Emperor was sitting in a black throne near a window, speaking with some of his advisors. What was unexpected was the shelves full of holobooks, the many refreshments, and the relaxed air about the room. He breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing terrible had been planned after all.

"Shall I introduce you to the Emperor?" Vader asked. "We shouldn't keep him waiting."

Pellaeon shook himself. "Yes, yes, of course," he said. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"Excellent." Lord Vader strode over to the throne, which was only a few feet away from where they had been standing. "Master," he said, inclining his head in respect towards the Emperor.

"Ah, yes, Lord Vader," Palpatine said, rising from his seat. "Excuse us," he said, nodding to his advisors. They bowed, and left to mingle among the other guests, although one of the military officers, whom Pellaeon guessed was a Chiss, remained at Palpatine's side. "Now, what is it, my young apprentice?"

"I would like to introduce you to Captain Pellaeon, master," Vader said, gesturing towards the captain. "I have brought him, as you asked."

"Good," Palpatine said. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance at last, Captain Pellaeon. You have served the Republic and now the Empire well, and have proven to be quite competent."

"Thank you, your excellency," Captain Pellaeon said, inclining his head to the Emperor, hoping that he did not appear as nervous as he felt. "It is an honor to be serving you."

"Yes, I'm sure," Palpatine said with a smile. That smile quickly vanished, disappearing as quickly as it had come across his features. "Guards!" he called. "Escort those not invited out of this room."

The rapid changing of the Emperor's mood frightened Captain Pellaeon, but he kept his composure intact. He knew that one small mistake could cost him career. It was quite possible that it could also cost him his life, and he knew it. He watched as the red and black guards of the Emperor escorted almost everyone out of the room, leaving few behind.

When the guards were finished, Palpatine spoke. "Captain Pellaeon, I assume you are wondering as to why you are here?" he asked.

"Yes, your highness," Captain Pellaeon said truthfully. "Lord Vader confirmed my suspicions that I was to attend a promotion ceremony for an officer, but as to whom this ceremony is for, I cannot fathom."

"Ah, your intuition serves you well, captain," Palpatine replied. He walked over to his throne, and Pellaeon noticed that the Chiss was still beside the chair, except now he now appeared to be admiring a painting on the wall, which stuck the captain as an odd thing to do. "Mara Jade, come out," the Emperor ordered someone who could not be made out in the shadows. "We shall make this ceremony short. Admiral Tarkin will be done with his speech in half an hour."

A small, cloaked figure appeared beside the Emperor as he sat down on his throne, and pulled back its hood to reveal its face. Pellaeon was surprised to see that the figure was a small six or seven year-old girl, with red hair. She knelt before the Emperor, holding out in her outstretched hands a set of blue and red badges.

"I see that we are assembled," the Emperor said, looking about the room. Pellaeon looked around as well, and noted that the room contained only himself, Lord Vader, Palpatine, the girl called Jade, and the Chiss. It was a small group. The Emperor then took the badges from the girl, and gestured to the Chiss to come before him.

The Chiss stopped looking at the artwork, and turned his glowing red eyes on the group. In the dimness of the room, it had a dramatic affect, as it cast small amounts of light about the room. Pellaeon quietly took a deep breath, in awe of the man's commanding composure.

"We shall begin," Palpatine said. Jade slid back into the shadows, but continued to observe as the Chiss kneeled expectantly before the Emperor.

"Captain Thrawn," the Emperor continued, "In the name of the Empire, I am promoting you to the rank of Senior Chaptain." He took the badges, removed the existing badges from Thrawn's grey uniform, and slowly pinned the new squares to his uniform. When he had finished, he gestured for Jade, who took the old symbols of rank from him. "Rise, Captain Thrawn. I have no doubt that you will serve the Empire well."

"Thank you, your highness, but the success of my service remains to be seen," Thrawn said. It was the first time he had spoken since Pellaeon had been in the room. His voice was as commanding as his appearance, which the captain knew the Emperor was pleased about. There was an air of determination and… logic about him, something Pellaeon rarely saw a combination of during his career thus far.

"Yes, you are correct, captain," Palpatine said, chuckling slightly. He stopped, and turned to Pellaeon. "Captain Pellaeon, I believe introductions are long overdue. This is your new commanding officer, Senior Captain Thrawn. He will be the man you will be reporting to from now on."

Thrawn offered his hand, which Pellaeon shook.

"You will be serving me where nobody else can," Palpatine said, rising from his throne and heading for the delicacies that had been placed on the tables. "Captain Thrawn, I am sending you to explore Wild Space, the Unknown Regions, and the very depths of the universe, on behalf of the Galactic Empire. I have commissioned thirteen Star Destroyers to accompany you. Your forces will consist of the 41st Elite Corps under your command and the command of Inquisitor Barriss Offee. You are expected to report to the shipyards within the next three hours. The prototype Super Star Destroyer _Chimaera_ will be your flagship, a ship I know you will be most pleased with. Pellaeon, I have allowed you to keep the _Leveler,_ but it will no longer be your flagship."

"Any special instructions, your excellency?" Thrawn asked.

"Inquisitor Offee will give you the specifics onboard the _Chimaera_," Emperor Palatine said. "But first, I have something… important to tell you. Mara, get the hologram Lord Vader and I were viewing earlier."

"Yes, master," the small girl said, briskly walking towards the shelves full of holos. As she did so, Pellaeon noticed that she had a cylinder weapon attached to her belt. He was about to mention it, when he thought better of it, and remained silent. However, the Emperor noticed his curiosity.

"Ah, yes, she is one of my hands," the Emperor said after he took a bite of a dark chocolate. "Her mother perished, but Lord Vader brought her to me, as he thought I might be interested in the force-sensitive girl. He young mind has now been wiped, and she serves me now. A pity that he mother did not survive, to see her child grow and serve me, is it not, my apprentice?"

Vader remained silent, which confused Pellaeon, but he moved on when Mara came back with a datacard in her hands. "Here it is, master," she said, placing the small device in Palpatine's hand. "Is there anything else you require?"

"No, my child, that will be all," Palpatine said. "Mara, retire for the evening. I will speak with Admiral Thrawn and Captain Pellaeon privately, before they depart."

Mara inclined her head, turned, and left the room. When the door shut behind her, the Emperor turned back to the two military officers. "There is a matter about a world in another galaxy I need to discuss with all of you," Palpatine said, inserting the datacard into a terminal located on the table. "And it is a… personal matter for you, Lord Vader."

"What is it, my master?" Darth Vader asked. If the dark lord did not have a mask on, Pellaeon thought he would have seen him raise an eyebrow in question.

"Ahsoka Tano," Palpatine said slowly, his yellow eyes gleaming. A small and wicked-looking grin appeared on his disfigured face. "Anakin Skywalker's pupil. They were… close friends, were they not?"

Darth Vader was slow in responding, as if trying to find out what kind of game the Emperor was playing this time. Then, he spoke, in a tone that suggested he was forcing out the words out of his unseeable mouth with a considerable amount of effort. "Anakin Skywalker was a… fool for giving into his emotions."

"Ah, but your feelings for have remained, have they not, Lord Vader?"

Again, there was a small pause before Vader responded. "Yes. They have, my master, but I am wholly your servant."

Palpatine nodded. "I suspected as much. It is of little concern, but I have sent her to a world in another galaxy, which you may end up near during your exploration mission for the Empire." He tapped a few buttons on the terminal, and a holo of a solar system appeared. "She is located on this planet," he said, indicating a small planet near the system's only star. "It is a young world, populated entirely by Humans. Ahsoka Tano is there."

"Ahsoka Tano?" Pellaeon said, stunned that they knew her current location. "Your excellency, if you don't mind me asking, what is she doing there?"

"I sent her there with the force," Palpatine said with a smile. "Teleportation. It is an ancient art and convenient tool of the dark side. I needed her out of the way. Here, on this planet, she will stay. There is no way off of it, as their technology is far too primitive. I merely sent Ashla Ta there to keep her company, and prevent her from attempting to leave. Does that answer your question, captain?"

"Yes, I believe so, your excellency," Captain Pellaeon said. "Except I don't understand why you would want to send her away, instead of bringing her back here or hunting her down like the rest of her kind."

"Former Jedi like Ahsoka Tano are dangerous to a new form of government, as they are unrestrained," Palpatine explained. "And the child would be a… distraction to Lord Vader. We must ensure that she and her companion remain on this planet. Ahsoka Tano is no longer a part of the Empire, yet having her there is useful to me. Perhaps, given time, she will prove herself worthy of the praise she receives in Imperial Propaganda. I don't want you or anyone else taking them off the planet."

"I understand, your excellency," Pellaeon said, feeling as though he was purposely being maneuvered against Lord Vader, but at the same time being used as a tool to pacify him.

"Good. You would do well not to disobey me," Emperor Palpatine said darkly. He turned to Thrawn. "You are not to go anywhere near this solar system. I am aware of its existence, so there is no need to explore it. I do not want it disturbed, captain. Is that understood?"

"Yes, your excellency," Thrawn said.

"Excellent. You may leave, gentlemen," Palpatine said. "I eagerly await the reports of your progress."

Pellaeon and Thrawn bowed, and left the room. As the captain turned to go to his quarters and pack his things, the newly-promoted Senior Captain Thrawn called out to him. "Captain," he said.

"Yes, sir?"

"It would be wise to remember this information that the Emperor had given us. It is far more valuable than you or the Emperor realize."

"Yes, sir." He understood alright, and he would remember. But what he did not understand is why Thrawn believed it was so valuable. He shrugged. He had better things to worry about than politics and a former Jedi, no matter how interesting it was. _I will do my duty,_ he thought. Nothing would stop him from doing that.

* * *

**AhsokaNerd's Corner**

Consider this a non-canon one-shot that isn't part of my story Alien. While some elements of this will be preserved for later chapters of Alien, this particular scene was cut.


End file.
